Thea Gill

October 28, 2002

Thea walked onto the set with a great big smile and an enthusiastic wave to the audience members.

She was wearing a very flattering black dress with sequins and did a little twirl before sitting down so the skirt would twirl out.

Mike: How are you?

Thea: I'm fine!

Mike: Lovely to see you. Did you happen to see the Buddhist monks? [guests waiting backstage to perform in a later segment of the show]

Thea: I did! What wonderful, lovely people... so gentle and kind-hearted.

Mike: Oh you were shocked?

Thea: No, it's just nice to be in that environment, in that energy field.

Mike: Did you watch Kung Fu when you were a kid?

Thea: I did, I did, I watched that show a couple of times. Actually I was thinking of Hal Sparks today because I thought, 'Well he should be here today because he does a little bit of Kung Fu."

Mike: Oh does he? I had no idea, he's an accomplished Kung Fu master?

Thea: Yeah, he knows a little bit about all kinds of martial arts.

Mike: Well, yeah, a lot of guys will say that.

Thea: Well, he does!

Mike: [teasing her] Yeah, a lot of guys will say that.

Thea: That's true [laughing] No, no, he's actually quite good.

Mike: Yeah? Well, we'll see when he gets here. Now, do I have this straight, because I was reading up on you today and I find this more than difficult to believe... you are now a grandmother?

Thea: Yes I am!

Mike: Well my goodness!

Thea: Yeah, my grandchildren call me the 'Oil of Olay' lady because they don't know any grandmothers younger than me.

Mike: [incredulous] Your grandchildren talk?

Thea: Oh, sure they do! [laughing] One is nine years old, the other is five years old.

Mike: Nine and five! Isn't that great! Boy, I tell ya, if I had a grandma like you, I would have visited more often. [audience laughs and applauds]

Mike: Now, I really have to hear this, because how can this be? How can you be a grandmother? You are a very young woman, you're not even in your thirties...

Thea: I don't have my own children biologically.

Mike: Well, keep doing that, it will happen! [points to her hands on her dress--not sure exactly what she was doing, the camera didn't quite catch it]

Thea: Oh no! It doesn't look that big does it?

Mike: No, it's just kind of sexy.

Thea: [embarrassed laugh] Oh...

Mike: Now how did this come about?

Thea: My husband is a little bit older than I am... well, quite a bit older than I am. We have the Autumn/Spring romance.

Mike: Oh yeah, so what is he, 75, 80?

Thea: [laughing] Please!

Mike: Oh you wish? [more laughter and applause] One of those Anna Nicole Smith deals, is that what it is?

Thea: No! [sincerely] He's the love of my life.

Mike: Is he really? Well isn't that wonderful. So these are children of his children from a previous relationship.

Thea: That's right.

Mike: Well, good, I understand now, how you could be a grandmother. Now, a lot of fans of the show.. are they disappointed--since we've established that you're a grandma--that you're not a lesbian? People take this show quite seriously.

Thea: Maybe a little bit. I think it's quite a bit of a compliment because some female viewers actually believe in our characters so strongly that when they meet me and Michelle [Melanie] they actually believe us to be those characters. And I think that's actually a wonderful, wonderful compliment.

Mike: When I watch, I believe you're those characters. I do. I think you're acting is just that good...

Thea: Aw, thank you.

Mike: ...and when I freeze frame it, I'm often shocked.

Thea: [groans] Ohhhh.

Mike: Now this show has an absolutely incredible following.

Thea: It does, it's great, we're in our third season, and every time it re-runs, every season that runs, we're gaining a larger audience. So I'm just ecstatic about it, and I believe the show will only gain more and more audience.

Mike: Well I believe it's got at least four or five more seasons left in it, it's that good, I really do.

Thea: Oh, well thank you!

Mike: And we find out how people of the homosexual persuasion, gays and lesbians, often have the same problems as we do.

Thea: We are all humans in this world.

Mike: We are all human beings, that's absolutely correct. I always say that, you're right. It's nice to see a guy with a boyfriend getting yelled at a lot.

Thea: Yes, absolutely!

Mike: I like that, I like that a lot!

Thea: I know.

Mike: Now you're playing at the Top of the Senator this week; you're singing.

Thea: Yes, I'm very nervous!

Mike: I had no idea, Thea. I had no idea you could sing.

Thea: Well, I can sing, I haven't sung in a while, so that's why I...

Mike: Well, give me a couple bars of something.

Thea: Oh no, no, no, I knew you were going to do that! I knew it! [she throws her head back and puts her arms up] I can't! No!!!

Mike: Come on... you know what, we'll all be happy to lay out a cover charge at the Senator just to hear you say, "No, no, no, I'm not going to sing!"

Thea: No, come on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and I'll sing.

Mike: Okay, we'll be there. Thea Gill, ladies and gentlemen, we'll be right back! [applause and cheers for Thea]